Sunday 22 November 2009

Elikya Gospel Choir come to Cloughjordan

Superb service this morning thanks to the inspirational music of 'Elikya' (Hope) Gospel Choir. This just a small sample which I grabbed at the end of the service on my phone camera. There was a great mix of styles and pace but all beautiful and inspirational.

Elikya Choir is a gospel choir and began in 2001 as a project initiated by Doras Lumini (an organisation for refugees and asylum seekers in Limerick), and the Irish World Music Centre at the University of Limerick with the primary objective of promoting multicultural diversity and integration. In February 2006, it was awarded a charity status. Their aims include: * To present an avenue where peoples of all cultures, races and backgrounds will come together to sing songs of praise and thanksgiving * Provide to the people of Limerick an African traditional music as an alternative to the Irish traditional music. * Provide a forum where everyone and from every culture or race will find a sense of belonging. * Introduce Limerick to some of the cultural and traditional values of the African, including the use of African drums and other singing instruments. * Provide a forum of workshops where the Irish and non-nationals will learn how to sing and play and understand some aspects of the African people and other ways of singing and to also create an awareness of the philosophy of Elykia Choir. * Render services free of charge for the greater majority of the people and the community as a whole whenever and wherever needed. (They do this with the hope that they will continue to introduce this rich culture to Ireland and also to maintain good relations with the society).

Who we are & Membership Elykia comprises of members from the DRC, Angola, South Africa, England, Ireland, Holland etc. At the very beginning, members were mostly peoples from the Congo who were and or living in Ireland because the choir sings predominantly in Linglala, but over time, the uniqueness of the choir opened doors to people from all other parts of the world and continues to do so. It has seen witness the growth of talents and size where they have people with some of the most remarkable voices ever heard across Ireland

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Who am I?

Irish Anglican Priest recently moved to a new parish - Based in Celbridge, Co. Kildare but with some parts of Co. Dublin within the parish boundaries - Husband of one wife and father of one son - Opinionated and occasionally troublesome